DOJ Prepare Google Antitrust sample, sources say

31st May (Reuters) – The US Department of Justice is preparing an investigation of Alphabet Inc.'s Google to find out if the technology giant has violated the antitrust laws when it operated its sprawling online businesses

officials The Justice Department's cartel department and the Federal Trade Commission, both of which enforce antitrust law, met in recent weeks to transfer jurisdiction to the judiciary for Google sources said, who sought anonymity because they were not able to speak.

The potential investigation represents the recent attack on a technology company by the government of US President Donald Trump, who accused social media companies and Google of suppressing conservative voices online.

According to one source, the potential investigation, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, focused on allegations that Google gave preference to its own companies when searching.

A Justice Department spokesman said he could not confirm or deny that an investigation was being considered. Google declined to comment.

In early 201

3, the FTC completed a long-running investigation of Google and slapped it. Under pressure from the FTC Google agreed to stop "scraping" reviews and other data from competitors' websites for its own products and allow advertisers to export data to independently rate campaigns.

Google Search YouTube, reviews, maps and other businesses that are largely free for consumers but funded by advertising, have made Google one of the richest companies in just two decades from start-up catapulted the world. [19659002] Along the way, there have been enemies, both in the technology world complaining to law enforcement agencies about its domination of the market, and in Washington, where lawmakers are complaining about problems of its alleged political bias against its plans for China Has.

Stephen Kaufer, Managing Director and Co-Founder of TripAdvisor, welcomed the news that Google could face an antitrust investigation by the Department of Justice.

"TripAdvisor remains concerned about Google s in the US, in the EU and around the world," Kaufer said in a statement.

"For the sake of consumers and competition on the Internet, we welcome any renewed interest from US regulators in Google anti-competitive behavior.

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has urged that separate Google as well as other large technology companies. Senator Kamala Harris, who is also running for the Democratic Ticket, has agreed.

"This is a very big news and overdue," said Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican Google critic on Twitter, regarding the investigation.

Google has faced a multitude of overseas probes.

The European Competition Authority beat Google with 2.4 billion euros (two years ago EU fine for unfair advertising for its own comparison shopping service.)

Since then, Google has offered to competitors to be able to bid on top of a search site for advertising opportunity to compete on equal terms. (Reporting by Paresh Dave in California, Diane Bartz in Washington and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Edited by Chris Sanders and Clarence Fernandez)